Assessment of Health Claims Related to Folic Acid in Food Supplements for Pregnant Women According to the European Regulation

Pregnant women are a vulnerable group with increased nutritional requirements. The daily intake of folic acid, a crucial vitamin for embryonic development, must be reinforced through supplementation, as sometimes diets are not well equilibrated. As consumers increasingly rely on food supplements, it...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nutrients 2021-03, Vol.13 (3), p.937
Main Authors: Domínguez, Laura, Fernández-Ruiz, Virginia, Morales, Patricia, Sánchez-Mata, María-Cortes, Cámara, Montaña
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical chemistry
Chemical analysis
Commercialization
Consumer organizations
Consumers
Consumption
Dietary minerals
Dietary supplements
Embryogenesis
Embryonic growth stage
Folic acid
Food
food safety
Food selection
food supplement
health claims
Labeling
Literature reviews
nutrition
Nutrition research
Nutritional requirements
pregnancy
Regulation
Vitamin B
Womens health
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Summary:Pregnant women are a vulnerable group with increased nutritional requirements. The daily intake of folic acid, a crucial vitamin for embryonic development, must be reinforced through supplementation, as sometimes diets are not well equilibrated. As consumers increasingly rely on food supplements, it is vital to properly inform them about the health benefits provided by supplements' consumption to ensure their safe use. The objective of this work was to assess the compliance level of health claims related to folic acid in food supplements commercialized in Spain according to the European regulation. Authors performed (1) a review of health-related claims approved for folic acid in Europe, (2) a market research of food supplements commercialized in Spain with those claims, and (3) a selection of food supplements for chemical analysis in the lab to assess these claims. The results showed that nine health-related claims are currently approved for folic acid in Europe. The analytical results for folic acid content in the selected samples were consistent with the declared values and within the tolerance ranges established in the European Guidance document. All samples included accurate dosages and met the legal requirements (European Regulations 1924/2006, 432/2012, 1169/2011) for all approved claims for folic acid.
ISSN:2072-6643
2072-6643
DOI:10.3390/nu13030937